Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-06-20
A NEW INDUSTRY.
Gypsum and Plaster OF Paris R6tfntf
in kxbastlsss Quantities In :.
Hardeman County, ~,
A Source of Wealth That Ranks With
Coal in the Industrial Estimates
of the Country. g

resources Of Hardeman county. The dis
covery Of large deposits of gypsum or
plaster of paris is destined at no distant
day TO form one Of the greatest and most
profitable Industries of the state.
Major Adsmson says that ample water
power can be had on Groesbeeck creek,
water course having rock bottom, and
koanks, and being admirably adapted for
'the location of gypsum mills, AMI being
surrounded by miles of the finest quality
of gypsum. There are but few states
that do nOI use fertilizers and it is ex-
pected shat this industry when once
opened up viii rapidly grow to enor-
nous proportions. The fact that three
different veins Of coal have been disCov-
eredin the county gives 4 brighter out
look, as steam mills can be run g. small
cost. From the QusDah Advance we clip
the following which, from its tenor AID
| perspicuous thoroughness, can easily be
recognized IS the product of Major Adam
sons pen:
The extensive deposits Of gypsum or
plaster Of paris existing in Hardeman
county are beginning TO attract the atten-
ton OF parties engaged in the manufac-
ture Of commercial fertilizers throughout
| the UDll6u OLdLeS.
About three-fourths of the product Of
the gypsum or plaster factories in the
United States IS used as fertilizer, either
IN lis pure state or as one of the compo-
nent parts OF the many Composts shat OBJ
tain favor with the agricultural commu-
nifty.
Imported guano, as well as the native
! deposits CT the same character, found in
bat caves and otner places in this
country have their preservative and fer
tilizing qualities measuresbly increased
by the addition of gypsum.
Fertilizers are largely used in the cot
ton and tobacco growing states, by farm
ers in New York, New England and m d
die state and gardeners who supply large
cities, and the thickly populated country
with vegetables.
The gypsum found in HardemaG county
ranks with the very best quality Of the
imported article. 1t is absolutely pure.
The deposits heretofore found in this
country contains more or less kaolir,
which, according TO the quantity con
tanned, detracts from the meTchantable
value of the gypsum.
The dry atmosphere of the Panhandle
is much more favorable 10 the manu-
fscture Of plaster of paris than the
humid atmosphere in which the existing
factories are situated, which must neces-
sarily be the case, located as they are, but
g short distance from the sea coast
Damp destroys the best qualities Of
1 gypsum, either as fetiliZer or plaster,
but it is never injured by age, when care
fully stored.
From gentleman who has been inter
ested IN one of the largest plaster
factories IN America we gather tie
following InformGtiCn: TIE largest
gEpshgn mills Cor plaster mills as they
fsfe locally called are situated st Balti-
more, Nd; Alexander, Va; Cul-
pepper, Va; Richmond, Va: Lynch
burg, Va; SaItville, Va, and
Charleston, C, The raw material these
mills grind is only partially supplied by
the local product, their main reliance be-
ing what comes from Nova Scotia, g
country many miles distant, and subject
to fluctuations Of import and export du-
ties, over which they have no control.
Plaster of paris is manufactured in the
tfellow+ng manner:
! THE GYPSUM
is,received in its natural state at the mill
add STORED under shelter II is taken
from the storehouse as needed and put
| through a rock cruSher, which reduces
7 the large bodies TO q proper size. It is
then carried from the spout leading from
the Crusher - the eye of the stones which
grind it to E palpable powder, the product
! being discharged through 2 pipe, from
WRicArthe sacks are filed.
Fhe entire machinery much resembles
the Oldfashioned grist mill.
Plaster CTusherS are OF varying sizes,
/ ranging from q capacity of from ten to
thirty tons per diem. OGe man can feed
a thirty ton cruSher. The cost of manu-
facture is about so cents per ton, sacking
20 cents per ton, labor 30 cents per ton.
I Sacks cost 10 cents each and hold 800
pounds. The buyer is given credit for
! thTee-fOurths CT the value of the sack
when they are returned.
The cost of plaster free on board cars
! tallowing sc cents per ton for mining
would be 81 10 per ton. The price of
! plaster in the markets Of this country va
rleS from So to SIS per ton; the lowest
/ ags neSeever sold for is SIS per ton.
TIE principal markets for gypsum fer
tiIizers are found in Maryland, Virginia,
North and South Caroline Georgia, Dele
ware, New Jersey, the sandy land Of New
York state, skirting the Atlantic coast,
snd the New England states.
GYPSUM OR PLASTER OF PARIS
car be produced in Hardeman county at
minimum. II can be supplied to the
mill st 80 cents per ton; manufactured at
so cents per ton, sacked for 20 cents per
ton and loaded on the cars at so cents per
ton.
Cheap transportation is slI that is
needed to make gypsum marketable and
transportab!e commodity from which the
h Fort Worth and Denver City Railway, as
well as the community al large, will de-
rive q handsome revenue.
Tie distance from Qusnah to Calves
ton is 53S miles, and to New Orleans $50
smlles. At either point gypsum can be
by sailing vessels or steam |
ers to the different ports of the United
States, as water freights are especially !
cheap; and as they will undoubtedly OBJ |
tain more general use than heretofore /
owing to the conditions imposed on sill
roads by the Interstate commerce bill. /
We can look forward to the greater por- !
ton OF the goods sold in this country be-
ing transported by water from the east. /
This will bring NUMBERS of steamers 10 /
Galveston and New Orlesns who will /.
look anXiously for return frejghts, and gvp- /